Gary man wants to represent himself in court

Charged with armed robbery, robbery resulting in bodily injury and kidnapping, a Gary man was adamant that he wants to represent himself in court.

Omarr Rayale Williams, 38, and 17-year-old Derek R. Fields, both of the 100 block of Rutledge Street in Gary, were charged earlier this month with the Nov. 7 robbery of the Family Dollar, 61 E. Ridge Road, Gary, at gunpoint.

Williams said he wants to be able to review discovery, which the judge noted he can do if he's represented by an attorney.

"How do you know what motions to file, what depositions to take? You want to gamble three to 16 years in prison?" Cappas asked.

"It's not a gamble because I didn't pass the bar. I'm not putting myself on a pedestal as an attorney," Williams said. "Why do I need a middleman to speak to the judge."

Deputy prosecutor Eric Randall told Cappas he had discovery to file and handed Williams a stack of papers and a couple of CDs. Randall said he was uncertain what jail personnel would allow Williams to bring back to his cell with him.

In the meantime, Williams said he's still waiting for the jail staff to allow him to use the law library, which was approved by Magistrate Natalie Bokota on Nov. 18. Cappas set a Dec. 6 status date.

"I'll wait to hear about your research," Cappas said.

Williams and Fields allegedly wore half-masks over their faces and were carrying guns at about 9 p.m. Nov. 7 when they went into the Family Dollar, 61 E. Ridge Road, Gary, court documents said.

One of the employees told them she was unable to open the cash register because she didn't know the codes, which prompted one of the gunmen to hit her in the head with his handgun, the probable cause affidavit states. Another employee was led at gunpoint to the registers, where he saw two other employees already on the floor, records state.

The employee was told to hurry and open the registers or one of the women employees would be shot, court documents said. He was directed to put cash and Newport cigarettes in a plastic bag, records state. Three of the employees were forced into the rear stockroom area, where the two suspects kicked open a back door and fled, records state. One of the employees called 911.

Inside the plastic bag was a transponder chip to monitor movement of the plastic bag. About 20 minutes after the robbery, police learned the bag was inside a Ford Expedition that had stopped in the 100 block of Rutledge Street in Gary, where Fields and Williams were arrested, records state.

Fields, a Morton High School junior, has no criminal history, his attorney, Aaron Koonce, said. Cappas said Fields could be on the court monitoring program and post $1,500 cash bond.